A business partner of Joseph McStay has been charged with murdering his associate’s entire family.
The Associated Press reported that Charles “Chase” Merritt, 57, has been charged for the deaths of McStay, 40, his wife, Summer, 43, and their two young sons, Gianni, 4, and Joseph, 3.
Reuters noted that Merritt is described as a business partner of the family’s patriarch.
The McStay family went missing in 2010 and last year their remains were found in shallow graves in the California desert. Authorities said the family members were bludgeoned to death.
No one had been charged in connection with their deaths until police arrested Merritt without incident Wednesday and charged him with four counts of murder.
The suspect, who has a criminal past, gave an interview last year after the remains were discovered in which he said he wanted whoever murdered the family brought to justice.
Authorities have not released a possible motive as to why the entire family was killed.